Railway car diaphragm construction



1943- M. P. BLOMBERG 2,337,081

RAILWAY CAR DIAPHRAGM CONSTRUCTION I Filed Aug. 2, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet lI o, I: +8 I Dec. 21, 1943. BLQMBERG I 2,337,081

RAILWAY CAR DIAgI-IRAGM CONSTRUCTION I Filed Aug. 2', 1940 5Sheets-Sheet 2 D 1943- M. P. BLOMBERG 2,337,081

RAILWAY CAR DIAPHRAGM CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet s109 v g 4 74; 71 2a 5 inventor 1943. M. P. BLOMBERG RAILWAY CARDIAPHRAGM CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 3lwentor Dec.21, 1943. P. BLOMBERG 2,337,081

RAILWAY CAR DIAPHRAGM CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1940 5 Sheeis-Sheet 5I94 gm 92 IQF 205 Qnventor 7/172fi227 FB/ozzzba g (I'ttornegs PatentedDec. 21, 1943 w th RAILWAY CAR DIAPHRAGM CONSTRUCTION Martin P.Blomberg, Hinsdale, Ill., assignor to General Motors Corporation,Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Delaware Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,714

2 Claims.

This invention relates to railway car iaphragm constructions, and moreparticularly to the manner of connecting such diaphragm constructions tothe car body and supporting them thereon.

In my improved construction, an inner diaphragm is provided to form thepassageway leading from one car into the adjacent car, one end of thisdiaphragm being secured to the car body and the other being connected toan inner face plate, which is supported upon a buffer member located atthe bottom of the face plate. Both the bufier member and the upper end01 the face plate are connected to the car body by structures whichpermit them to move toward the car body and to assume angular positionswith respect thereto, and also permit a limited amount of verticalmovement relative to the car body. Means are provided to positively holdthe face plate the center of the car body end at all times, s that itwill line up properly With the face plate of the adjacent car. Outerlace plates are pivotally connected to each side of the inner faceplate, and outer diaphragrns extend from these face plates to the carbody end to close the spaces between the cars.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentupon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings,in which i is a side elevation of the adjacent end portions of railwaycars which are coupled together.

Fig. 2 is 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken 4- 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view 5-%i of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectional View 3-5 of Fi 2.

l-ig. 7 is a sectional View taken L l cf Fig. 6.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken 53 of Fig. 6.

9 is a sectional view 5+9 of Fi 2.

Fi iii is a plan view of the adjacent ends of two coupled cars showingthe positions the diaphragins assume when the cars are on curved track.

Fig. 11 is a sectional View taken on the line li it of Fig. 9.

12 is a sectional View taken on the line lZ-lii of Fig. 2.

Fig. 13 is a View similar to Fig. 12 but showin the position the partsassume when the cars are on curved track as shown in Fig. 10.

The reference numerals it and 15 indicate sectional View taken on theline sectional View taken on the line on the line taken on the linetaken on the line on the line on the line taken on the line adjacentrailway cars which are coupled together by conventional couplers l3 and2c. Diaphragm structures designated generally by the numerals 22 and 25are secured to the ends of thecars i l and it respectively, and sincethese diaphragm structures are identical in construction, only onewillbe described.

Referring to Fig. 9, the numeral 28 designates 1 the floor of the carbody, and 2d is a Vertically extending plate welded or otherwise securedthereto and forming a part of the body end sill structure. Secured tothe plate 23 in spacedrelation on each side of the longitudinal centerline of the car by bolts 3% are brackets 2'52 which are U-shaped incross-section, as shown in Fig. and a wear plate 35 is welded orotherwise secured to the upper surface of the web part of the U-shap-edportion of each of the brackets. Shoes having wear plates 38 secured totheir bottom surfaces are slidably mounted in the brackets, and areprovided with portions ill wh ch i t between spaced cars 42 welded to ain rer angle it, being pivotally connected to the ea 5 by bolts 43. twill be seen from this "that the buffer angle is supported on thebrackets 32 but is free to move toward or away from the end sill or tomove angularly with respect to same.

Each of the shoes 36 also have formed on them spaced flanges 53 betweenwhich an eye 56 having fiat sides bearing against the flanges islocated, and this eye is pivotally connected to the flanges by a bolt52. The eye has a shank to which is welded a piece of tubing 55,although it will be understood that the tubing and eye may be formed asan integral part if desired. The tubing extends through relatively largeopenings 5t and Eli formed in the bracket 32 and plate 23 respectively,and through a smaller opening 52 formed in a plate 5t which is a part ofthe end sill structure. A compression spring 66 surrounds the tubing andbears against a shoulder formed on theeye at one end and against awasher fall which abuts the plate at the other end. A key 7% extendingthrough slots formed in the tubing limits movement of the latter awayfrom the end silLand the spring 66 is so designed that it will be undersome compression when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 9. Itwill be seen that this arrangement permits the buffer angle to movetoward the end sill when it is engaged by the buffer angle of anadjacent car keys 'iii preventing movement beyond that posi-' tion.

Pivotally connected to the plate 28 by hinges "i2 is a floor plate 14which is held down tightly against the upper surface of the buffer angle44 by a spring member I5, one end of which is secured to the plate 28and the other end of which is connected to lugs I8 secured to theunderside of the floor plate. This construction permits the buffer angleto slide under the floor plate but insures that the latter will be heldfirmly against the buffer angle at all times.

In order to properly center the buffer angle, the following constructionis provided. A bar 80 having a head portion 82 pivotally connected by abolt 8? between spaced ears 85 secured to the buffer angle dd, extendsthrough a guide 88 secured to the plate 28 by bolts 89 and throughopenings 9% and 92 formed in that plate and in the plate 64respectively. Secured to the plate 64 is a member as which serves tohold a sleeve 98, the latter being clamped to the member 94 by a strap93 which is fastened to the member 94 by bolts IEO. As will be seen inFigs. 6 and 8, the

bar 83 extends through the sleeve, and there are two semi-cylindricalmembers I92, formed of alternate layers of rubber and fabric or similarmaterial, located between the bar and the sleeve to keep them out ofcontact with each other and to permit a limited amount of movement ofthe bar relative to the sleeve, for a purpose to be presently described.The bar is of course free to slide within the members I92, such slidingmovement taking place when the buffer angle is moved toward the endsill. A key IElS extending through an opening in the bar is adapted toengage the sleeve when the buffer angle has returned to normal positionto prevent further outward movement of the bar within the sleeve.

As shown in Fig. 7, the opening Hit in the guide 38 is elongated inshape, being of greater height than its width, and its surfaces ateither side being machined flat as at it. At the point where it passesthrough the guide, the bar has wear plates Ida welded to its sides, andthese wear plates bear against the fiat surfaces M on the guide, therebypreventing any horizontal movement of the bar with respect to the guidebut permitting it to move vertically a limited amount for a purpose tobe described later.

Secured to the top of the buffer angle 44 by bolts Hit is the lowerportion of an inner face plate III of U-shape, the space II2 between thelegs of which constitutes a passageway between adjacent cars. As bestshown in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper end of this face plate is yieldablyconnected to and centered with respect to the car body by the followingstructure. Spaced lugs H4 welded to the face plate have pivotallyconnected between them by a bolt H6 2. trunnion H8 to which the head IISof a tubular member I263 is pivotally connected by a bolt I22. Thistubular member is slidably supported within a sleeve I25, to one end ofwhich is welded an eye I26 which is pivotally connected by a pin I28 tolugs I29 formed on a support I30 which is secured in any suitable mannerto the body end member I32. Mounted on the outside of the sleeve I25,and rigidly connected thereto by a bolt I which extends through slotsI36 formed in the tubular member I28, is a wedge member I38 havingangularly inclined surfaces [fill formed on it. Correspondingly inclinedsurfaces M2 are provided on the support I30, and blocks ltd of rubber orother resilient material having metal plates I46 and I48 vulcanized tothem, are secured between the inclined surfaces. As shown in Fig. 4, theplates Hi6 abut against shoulders I553 formed on the wedge member I38.and the plates I58 abut against shoulders I 52 provided on the supportI30, so that any tendency of the wedge member to move toward the supportI353 will be resisted by the compression action of the rubber blocks.The assemblies of the blocks IM and plates I55 and I48 are held betweenthe inclined surfaces on the wedge member I38 and support I38 by meansof a member M9 which is secured to the support by bolts I5I, there beingspacers I53 interposed between the plates I i-8 and the member I49 tohold the wedge member out of contact with the member M8 since it moveslaterally with respect thereto.

A compression spring 55d, one end of which bearsagainst the head MS ofthe tubular memher and the other end of which bears against the wedgemember, surrounds the sleeve IN and tends move the face plate away fromthe car body, this movement however being limited by the engagement ofthe bolt I34 with the end of the slots I36 in the tubular member, thespring 554 being so proportioned that it is under some compression evenwhen the bolt engages the end of the slot. It will be seen from theabove that when pressure is applied against the face plate, the latteris free to move toward the car body in direction parallel with thelongitudinal centerline thereof, the tubular member I20 sliding withinthe sleeve I2 3 and the spring IE2 being compressed and therebycushioning such move ment and tending to return the face plate to normalposition when the pressure ceases. Any tendency of the upper end of theface plate to move sidewise with respect to the car body is resilientlyresisted by the compression action of the rubber blocks I44.

As shown in Fig. 12, a vertically extending I- beam I55 is secured tothe body end member I32, and one end of a flexible inner diaphragm 258formed of rubberized fabric or other suitable material is connected tothe I-beam by fastening devices Ice, the other end of the diaphragmbeing connected by fastening devices I62 to a member Iii- 1 which issecured to the face plate H5.

To improve the appearance and to protect pa"- sengers from being injuredby being caught in the crack. between the contacting face plates ofadjacent cars, a roller curtain IE6 formed of any suitable flexiblematerial has its ends secured in housings I68, one of the housings beinglocated in one car while the housing to which the opposite end of thecurtain is attached is located in the adjacent car. The housings aresupported on members I'll) which in turn are secured to the I-bearnsI56. One end of the curtain is wound on a spring roller H2 which keepsthe curtain taut at all times. It will be understood of course thatthere is a similar curtain on the other side of the passageway H2.

Since in streamlined trains it is important that the spaces betweenadjacent cars be closed or covered to maintain smooth unbroken surfacesat the sides and top of the cars, outer diaphragms I'ld, formed of anysuitable flexible material, are provided at each side of each car. Theseouter diaphragms are secured at one end to the car body member I75 byfastening devices I38. The other end of each diaphragm is connected byfastening devices IBG to channels I82 which are secured to outer faceplates I84, which as shown in Fig. 2 have portions I86 at their upperends which are curved to conform to the shape of the top of the car,such portions terminating sub stantially in line with the outer sideedges of the inner face plate H0. The lower portions I88 of the outerface plates are in line with the face of the buffer angle The outer faceplates are supported from and pivotally connected to the inner faceplate l is by hinges E39.

Secured to the inner face plate are brackets 23%, and a block iii-2,provided with trunnions E94 which are received in bearing portions i535formed in the brackets, is pivotally supported in each of thesebrackets. A threaded bolt iilii having an eye i8 formed at one end,which eye is secured by a bolt are between spaced lugs 2%2 welded to theportions ilit and sea of the outer face plate, extends through a holeformed in the block and is slidable therein. A compression spring bearsagainst the block at end and at e other end engages washers backed up bynuts threaded on the bolt, the nuts providing an adjustment whereby thecompresslon oi spring may be varied. At the other end of the bolt, nuts2 l 9 are threaded thereon to limit sliding movement of the bolt in theblock in the one direction. The nuts 2 I ll may be adjusted to vary thelength of travel of the bolt ltd in the block i92. As shown in Fig. 12,the nuts Eli] are adjusted to such position that they will engage theblock it? when the outer face plate is parallel to the end of the carbody, and will prevent any further outward movement of the outer faceplate.

When the cars are operating on curved track, the various parts of thestructure take the positions shown in Fig. 10, the spring 65 of thebuffer angle toward the inner side of the curve being compressed topermit the buffer angle to lie at an angle with respect to the end ofthe car body,

instead of extending parallel thereto as it normally does. This resultsin the bufier angles and inner face plates remaining in contact witheach other while the cars are rounding the curve. The outer diaphragmsPM on each car at the inner side of the curve will be compressed, andthe outer face plates at that side will also remain in contact with eachother, whereas at the outer side of the curve the outer diaphragms willbe expanded to a straight position, and the outer face plates at thatside will be separated from each other, as shown in Fig. 10. In Fig. 13,it will be seen that the compression springs 2% will resiliently resistmovement of the outer face plates toward the car body, While theengagement of the nuts 2E9 with the blocks 1% will prevent movement ofthe outer face plates beyond a position where they will be parallel tothe end of the car body and in line with the inner face plate.

As shown in Fig. 11, since the shoes 3% which support the buffer anglemerely rest in the U-shaped brackets 32, they are free to move upwardlya limited amount, as indicated by the reference character X, to permitthe buffer angle and the parts supported thereon to tilt slightly. Asshown in Fig. 9, the openings 66] and 58 in the plate 23 and bracket 32respectively, are made sufiiciently larger than the diameter of thespring so that the latter will not contact these members during thistilting movement. Provision for this tilting movement is necessitatedbecause of the fact that during certain operating conditions, theplatform of one car may extend at a slight angle with respect to that ofthe adjacent car. As described above, the opening Hi l in the guide 88is elongated in shape to permit vertical movement of the bar 86 in theguide, the wear plates I08 bearing against the fiat surfaces I86 of theopening I04 to center the buffer angle and associated parts and toprevent sidewise movement of them. At the top of the structure, there isa sufiicient amount of clearance provided at the points where the eyelit fits between the lugs E29 and where the pin i128 passes through theopening in the eye to permit the opposite er: of the tube I20 and sleeveE26 to move upwardiy during such tilting movement of the i'ace plate andbuffer angle.

It will be seen from the above that I have provided a construction inwhich the various parts are supported in such manner that they willnormally be held in position where they will line up properly with andbe in contact with the corresponding parts of an adjacent car, but willbe free to move to diiferent positions when necessitated by changes inthe relationship of the two coupled cars during operation, the partshowever being held in proper centered position at all times to insurethat the passageways in the ends of adjacent cars will always line upwith each other.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and havedescribed in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understoodthat I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific formdisclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a rail car body, aface plate, members located atthe bottom thereof to support said plate, said members allowing movementof the face plate toward the car body, a tube connected to the upper endof the face plate, a sleeve in which said tube is slidably received, awedge-shaped member mounted on and rigidly connected to the sleeve, saidwedgeshaped member having angularly inclined surfaces formed thereon, asupport secured to the car body and having angularly inclined surfacesformed on it, blocks of resilient material secured between the angularlyinclined surfaces on the wedge-shaped member and the support, and aspring mounted on the tube between a shoulder formed thereon and saidwedge-shaped member, said spring being compressed when said face platemoves toward the car body, and said blocks of resilient material servingto resist lateral movement of said face plate relative to the car body.

2. In combination with a rail car body, a face plate spaced from the carbody, means located at the bottom thereof to support said plate, saidmeans allowing movement of said face plate toward the car body, a memberconnected to the upper end of the face plate and extending toward thecar body, a support secured to the car body, a sleeve pivotallyconnected to the support, said member being slidably mounted in saidsleeve, a compression spring located on the outside of said sleeve andserving to resist movement of the upper end of the face plate toward thecar body, a wedge-shaped member having inclined surfaces formed on itsecured to said sleeve, said sleeve having correspondingly shapedinclined surfaces formed on it, and pieces of resilient materialinterposed between the inclined surfaces on the wedge-shaped member andon the support, said resilient material serving to yieldingly resist1ateral movement of the upper end of the face plate relative to thesupport.

MARTIN P. BLOMBERG.

